The typical manner in which Rubber and Thermoplastic Hose manufacturers identify or mark their product is from one of several on-line printing processes. Laser ink jet print technology can be used to impart an ink print of alphanumeric text on the hose. Embossing or stamp printing apply a metal stamp to the hose with some pressure to create an impression of the alphanumeric text on the hose. Yet another printing process is the vinyl overlay process where a vinyl sheet with the alphanumeric text is placed over the rubber and a protective sheet is then placed over the vinyl before heat processing.
Many of these printing processes must be applied before the vulcanization process of rubber hose. This limits the manufacturer""s flexibility for custom production or inventory reduction.
The present system describes a special hose writing process in which the alphanumeric print is applied using a laser to scribe information on the outer surface of a rubber or plastic product, such as a hose, a tire, medical supplies, computer casing or the like.
One aspect is a method of marking a rubber or plastic material, that includes forming a desired pattern to be marked on the rubber or plastic material, and using the desired pattern to change an output of a laser, and applying the laser output to the material to mark the desired pattern on the material, the laser being applied with parameters that do not undesirably damage the material of said material, but which does form a perceivable mark indicative of said pattern on said material.